offensive commercials - the rare catches

[kourama]

Every now and then a commercial slips through the cracks of the PC wall and makes it to the public briefly enough for the alert to spot it.

I can think of three examples that I've enjoyed over the last few years:

- The TTC (Toronto Transit Commision) pulled a poseter that showed a dog licking a man's face that had the caption "A dog licks his genitals about 13 times a day"

- I caught that infamous CNN commercial where an anchorwoman was described as "sexy" among other things. I remember thinking "Woah! That's not gonna be aired again"

- A few years back there was a beer commercial where a nerdy-looking fellah boarded an elevator, and then a group of very attractive models climbed on. They got off on a different floor, and then a group of overweight ladies got on. Then the elevator got stuck on the next floor. The tag line was something like "I sure could go for a <beer> right about now".

- (not a commercial, but fun anyway) I was watching SNL when Norm MacDonald used "f*ck" on live T.V.

I thought these were pretty funny, and I remember them fondly.

Anyone else catch any of these elusive tidbits?

[Ian Osborne]

A local council in the UK put on a show by a gypsy orchestra. It was advertised (briefly) using the tagline, 'It's the only time you'll be glad there's 250 gypsies camped on your doorstep'...

[Segnosaur]

I remember a commercial for some sort of laxitive product. The ad featured an outhouse in the middle of the field, when the Hallelujea chorus starts to play.

Think it was on TV once, and disappeared.

[Brown]

As a child, I remember seeing a TV advertisement for a game. It wasn't Stratego or Battleship, but it was a war-based game of that type. Two characters were playing the game, and one of them said, "War is hell." This was the first use time I'd ever heard the word "hell" used in a TV ad, and it was an ad for a children's game. I never saw the ad after that.

The first time I ever heard the word "butt" on TV was from John Wayne, reciting a poem on "Laugh-In":

"The Sky"
By John Wayne

The sky is blue
The grass is green
Get off your butt
And join the Marines.

Fortunately, this scandalous clip of Wayne reciting his poem in Henry-Gibson-fashion has been shown in reruns.

[The Bad Astronomer]

Originally posted by kourama
- (not a commercial, but fun anyway) I was watching SNL when Norm MacDonald used "f*ck" on live T.V.

Confirmed. I saw that as well, the night it happened. Luckily I was still on the East Coast back then; out here in California the show is delayed three hours. In reruns, that line is bleeped, I think.

[Doctor X]

There is an ad for a "Lite Beer"--ARRRGGGGG!!!!!! [Happy Place. Go to your Happy Place.--Ed.] that has caused a bit of a stir recently.

The company has this "it's less filling and tastes great" crap ad-line which has been inflicted on Americans and unsuspecting Canadians--a defensive line will shout "less filling" and the offense will reply "tastes great."

I had considered it the lamest idea for an add since Ovaltine.

Anyways, picture two Hot Chicks [Tm.--Ed.] at a pool side restaurant. They start the "less filling taste great" argument . . . and start attacking one another--to fall into the pool and get soaked--naturally--then rip off their clothes. . . .

. . . it then fades to two geeks in a bar looking whistfully saying, "Yeah, I would watch an ad like THAT!" The camera pans to two seething women listening to the fools.

After the "stats" part of the ad--where it encourages you to drink this diabetic piss--the ad swiches back to the wrestling Hot Chicks who . . . conveniently . . . fall into a mud pit.

Apparently, on the cable versions, they kiss.

--J.D.

[zakur]

Originally posted by Doctor X
Apparently, on the cable versions, they kiss.The cable version of the ad ends with the brunette saying to the blonde: "Let's make out."

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2003-01-14-beer_x.htm

http://images.usatoday.com/money/advertising/_photos/2003-01-15-beer-ad-2.jpg

[Doctor X]

I tried to link the thing from www.adcritic.com, but it is no longer a free site.

--J.D.

[Thanz]

Small version of the "Catfight" ad can be found here. (http://www.millerbrewing.com/brandsBreweries/advertising.asp?com=millerLite&action=catFight)

[Brooklyn Dodger]

In the early 1960s an ad for Maypo hot maple-flavored oatmeal was on in the New York City area. The product still exists. One particular commercial predated the cartoon character Marky Maypo, who graced the box cover and commercials for the product.

The ad in question that caused the stir wasn't offensive to me, but what did I know?I thought it was just a pretty good commercial and saw nothing wrong with it, except that it had two New York Yankees (and their families) in it. I was a Dodger fan.

In the commercial, catcher and outfielder Elston Howard, the very first African American to play for the Yankees, was in the kitchen with his family. Beside him was caucasian all star Yankee pitcher Whitey Ford and his family. The whole gang was happily enjoying Maypo oatmeal.

So far so good. A picture of domestic tranquility and racial harmony. Then there was a little "gotcha" caused by the script. It really wasn't Elston Howard's fault. How could he know?

Howard said "Whitey and me ..." No, I can't remember the rest of the line, and it really doesn't matter. I don't think anyone remembers. It didn't occur to me, and couldn't have occurred to anyone in that kitchen that anything controversial was said.

The next day at school some one whispered to me if I had seen that commercial with Howard and Ford, like it was some big deal. Sure, I said, so what? They were yanking it off the air! Because of what Howard said! Even then it didn't sound bad to me. I guess I always had a tin ear that way. I mean everyone on the Yankees called Ford Whitey every day, and so did all his fans, of which there must have been tens of thousands, especially in New York. So Elston Howard says "Whitey and me" and it's a big deal? Jeez. Anyway, I saw it twice before they took it off the air.

[SFB]

This is pretty mild as offensive commercials go. It might not even qualify as offensive but darn it, I want to post.

I remember hearing radio ads for Ovaltine perhaps two years ago which closed with kids' voices calling out in unison for "More Ovaltine, Mom." I remember thinking, gee, shouldn't there be a "please" in there somewhere?

Sure enough they changed it to end on the word "please," perhaps a year ago, maybe longer.

[jimlintott]

Picture two young lads. Sitting around the bureau in Daddy's den. The smoking bong indicitive of illicit behaviour. During their foggy dialogue one of them produces a glistening handgun from a the desk.

"Is it loaded" inquires one buzzing youth.

As it fades to black we hear "no" and a bang. Then the caption: "Marijuana can distort your sense of reality." (Or something very similar.)

How about the caption should have said: "Don't leave loaded guns lying around the house. You never know when your kids might do something stupid."

Anyway. I was very offended, and still am everytime I see it.

There was a Geico commercial that was short-lived in which a guy is picking up his hot date and opens the car door for her. After she gets in the front seat, he closes the door and begins to walk around to get in on his side. Before the guy gets around the car to his side, the girl leans quickly to one side and lets rip a very unladylike fart, then settles in like nothing happened as he gets in.

As the guy settles in, he introduces her to another couple she was unaware is sitting in the back seat.....

[subgenius]

The commercial that's bugging me these days is the one where they use a laxative to keep Old Faithful "regular".
Close second is where they show the Statue of Liberty in the "Raise your hand if you're Sure (deodorant)" commercial.
Offensive.

[FFed]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v391/asagan/dunce.gif

[Ed]

Originally posted by SFB
This is pretty mild as offensive commercials go. It might not even qualify as offensive but darn it, I want to post.

I remember hearing radio ads for Ovaltine perhaps two years ago which closed with kids' voices calling out in unison for "More Ovaltine, Mom." I remember thinking, gee, shouldn't there be a "please" in there somewhere?

Sure enough they changed it to end on the word "please," perhaps a year ago, maybe longer.

I recall my Mom voicing over "please" whaen that aired.:D

[Jabberwock]

We had one a few years ago for Rally's Big Buford (a extra large hamburger). It's been a few years and I can't remember a lot of the details, but it featured a man and a woman having a conversation.
Woman: C;mon take it out
Man:But it'll get cold
Woman: But it's sooooo big! I don't know if I can get it into my mouth
Man: You just have to relax, you can do it
Woman: MMMMMMMMMM

Then they show the woman eating the hamburger and the tagline came up.
I think it lasted about two days on TV.

[sophia8]

Can't remember the details, but there's been an TV ad here running for a couple of years, for some sort of frozen food - pizza maybe.
Anyway, it starts off with a teenage boy walking into the kitchen of his friend, who then proceeds to pop said frozen delicacy into the microwave so that they can eat. The dialogue makes it clear that they're best mates.
Then in walks the mother of the pizza-boy. She's all dressed up, evidently about to go out on a date. She's rather hot, in an older-woman way, and the other boy's eyes alight on her with sudden interest, lingering on her finer points.
So then she goes out, the first boy pulls the pizzas out and serves them. His friend just sits there looking glum. When he's asked what the matter is, he bursts out guiltily "I fancy your Mum!!" The other boy receives this news in utter shock. Fade.
It's not offensive - at least, not to me (well, I am a mature mum :)). But I don't see what it has to do with selling pizzas, or whatever it is.

[Ranb]

I remember watching a commercial for a single-cup coffee maker last year.

A middle aged attractive woman in her bathrobe is starting the coffee brewing when we hear her husband calling for her in an urgent tone. She opens the kitchen door and her husband is visible laying on the floor clad only in boxer shorts. As she passes through the door, she lets her bathrobe fall off of her shoulders and to the floor. The door closes before anything below the waist is revealed. Scene changes to the coffee maker just finishing filling the single cup of coffee, and the wife enters the kitchen clothed in her bathrobe to pick up and taste the coffee. She says something like, "That was great", meaning the fresh coffee. Her husband passes her in the kitchen and says "It sure was."

Only saw it once. I do not remember the brand of coffee maker it advertised, I do not drink coffee. :)

Ranb

[Yahweh]

I've noticed a trend in advertising recently that involves one manufacturer to feature rival manufacturers in their own ads.

For strictly comparison purposes I wouldnt think twice about it, but some of the ads I've seen are particularly abusive - its worse than political smear campaigns.

Example:

Cox Digital Cable ad, the background was black and accompanied by a sobering cello tune in the background. Then the announcer guy said "Dish Network says they have low prices".

At the same time, words a flashing across the screen with quotes from Dish Network commericials like "Low Prices", the words would fade out with a single letter remaining.

By the end of the commerical, the announcer guy ends with "And Dish Network wants you to believe they have the lowest prices - but why have they have they raised their service charges 11 times in 5 years. Do you think thats a little... ironic". And of course, the words flashing on screen have left the appropriate letters to spell "IRONIC".

[LostAngeles]

Originally posted by jimlintott
Picture two young lads. Sitting around the bureau in Daddy's den. The smoking bong indicitive of illicit behaviour. During their foggy dialogue one of them produces a glistening handgun from a the desk.

"Is it loaded" inquires one buzzing youth.

As it fades to black we hear "no" and a bang. Then the caption: "Marijuana can distort your sense of reality." (Or something very similar.)

How about the caption should have said: "Don't leave loaded guns lying around the house. You never know when your kids might do something stupid."

Anyway. I was very offended, and still am everytime I see it.

I was more offended by the "So you're saying drugs support terrorism. How do you know that?"

"It's a fact."

"It's a fact?"

"Yes."

END.

The "You never forget those you hurt when you were high" are ridiculous too. For starters, the girl who hit the guy, it looks like she was simply changing the radio when it happened. The boy who ditched his little brother's party? I've seen that behavoir in rebellious young teens several times. There's very little that implies drug use in those.

Commercials that bug me less but still a huge amount: The frigging Charmin bears, the goddamned diamond commercials where it's apparently the only "acceptable" way to say, "I love you" to your selfish diamond-needy girlfriend.